Release attachment for wrenches and the like



Feb. 10, 1953 c. E. WALTER 2,627,774

RELEASE ATTACHMENT FOR WRENCHES AND THE LIKE Filed April 21, 1951 INVENTOR. avm/nfs l'. Ww uw.

Patented Feb. 10, 1953 RELEASE ATTACHMENT FOR WRENCHES AND THE LIKECharles Edward Walter, Indianapolis, Ind.

Application April 21, 1951, Serial No. 222,215

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an adjustable release attachment for wrenches,vice grips and similar tools.

Tools of that type are so constructed today that there is but oneconventional way to break their grip. That is by spreading the handlesthrough the use of both hands or the thumb oi one hand of the user.Since the term vice grip is used literally in connection with suchtools, it logically follows that a considerable amount of pressure orforce must be exerted in order to effect a release. And such an exertionis normally attended by unsatisfactory results not only to the hands ofthe user but to his disposition as Well. This is true since the handlesof the tool generally fly open rapidly, thereby cracking, bruising orotherwise injuring the knuckles or hands of the user.

lt is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide anattachment for such tools which will make possible their easy and readyrelease from gripping or closed position. This is accomplished throughthe provision of a cam type variable fulcrum in the form of anadjustable bolt and plunger.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improvementfor wrenches, particularly of the type disclosed in Letters Patent No.2,280,005 issued to William Petersen on April lll, 1942 entitled Wrench.One disadvantage encountered by users of such a wrench lies in thedifficulty of effecting a release thereof, With the present invention,such disadvantages are eliminated without in any manner aifecting theexcellent operation or function of the tool itself.

A still further object of the present invention is to make possible theuse of such tools in conned spaces. In view oi the diiiiculties inherentin releasing that type of tool, requiring both hands as it frequentlydoes, it is obvious that their use in conned or limited spaces isundesirable if not practically impossible. On the other hand, throughthe medium oi the present invention, tool release is easily and readilyaccomplished regardless oi the size or limitations of the working space.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawings and the following description and claim:

In the drawings,

Fig. l is a side elevation view (with parts broken away) of a type ofwrench with which the invention is shown to be associated.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section view of the invention inlocked or gripping position.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, except that the invention is shownin handle releasing position.

Fig. e is a longitudinal transverse section view thereof.

In the drawings a wrench oi the type shown in Letters Patent No.2,280,005 issued to William ietersen on April le, 1942 is showngenerally at Iii. No claim, of course, is made to the wrench per se, outonly to the attachment associated therewith about which comment willhereinafter be made.

The wrench itself consists o an elongated handle portion i l of channelformation, having a :Fixed jaw i2 formed at its forward end and aninternally threaded sleeve i3 formed at its rearward end.. A movable jawIl is pivotally connected by the pin l5 to a portion of the handle IIimmediately adjacent the fixed jaw.

Pivotally connected at It to the inner end portion oi the movable jaw isthe elongated lever il o channel formation which serves as the operatinghandle. Pivotally mounted at I8 between the side walls l@ of this handleis one end of a stub lever or ulcrum bar 20 having a centrally disposedlug 2i depending therefrom into operative engagement with the adjacentportion of the handle or lever il. The opposite end of said stub leveris transversely enlarged at 22 to provide a bearing for the plunger 23hereinafter described.

The construction of the stub lever is such that its lug engages theadjacent portion of the channelled handle Il as the handle is beingmoved relative to handle l I, thereby precluding further relativemovement therebetween until pivot I8 passes over center oi the linebetween pivot I6 and the bearing point of enlarged head 22 againstplunger 23.

Spring 2li serves to maintain head 22 in contact with the inner face ofthe plunger, and also biases movable jaw i@ away from fixed jaw I2.

Up to this point the foregoing has described thc Petersen Wrench whichis representative only, of the type of vice grip in connection withwhich applicants invention is designed to be used. No claim is made tosuch a wrench per se.

As mentioned above, experience has proven that when a wrench or the typedescribed is to be released so that the article 25 may be removed frombetween its jaws, it is necessary to exert a considerable amount ofpressure. The exact amount of pressure required has direct relation tothe distance between pivot I6 and the bearing point of the head againstthe plunger, i. e. the

fulcrum. The further the plunger is adjusted outwardly, the lesspressure is required to release the jaws. It is also apparent that theplunger can not be adjusted outwardly too far, else the wrench will nothold the article 25 in a vice like grip. If it is necessary to screw orunscrew the plunger, i. e. move it forwardly or rearwardly, a great dealof time will obviously be consumed, and the results will not always besatisfactory. On the other hand, with applicants attachment satisfactoryresults can be achieved with a minimum of time and effort. ing orbruising o the knuckles and hands when release is effected.

Applicants attachment consists of the plunger 23 which is looselyreceived and slidably accommodated within the bore 28 formed in theexternally threaded shank 2l. The shank is adjustable within saidinternally threaded sleeve I3. Suitably connected to the rearward end ofthe sleeve is the enlarged block 28 having a transversely disposed boreformed therethrough. Disposed within this bore is the pin having areduced central portion 3@ fashioned in the shape of the cam shown, andtruncated end portions 3 l. Connected to either end of the pin is thesubstantially U-shaped handle 32.

While the throw of the plunger may be as desired, it is shown in thedrawing to be approximately one-eighth of an inch. If it is necessary tomove the plunger further forwardly or further rearwardly, it is, ofcourse, possible to screw or unscrew the shank itself.

In operation, the shank is first adjusted to the desired position andthe handle controlling the plunger is raised to a horizontal position,thereby forcing the plunger to its forwardmost position. (See Fig. 2.)The lever Il lis then moved upwardly until the lug engages it whereuponthe pivoti8 connecting the stub lever to lever or handle il is moved tobeyond center position as described above. The jaws of the wrench willthen be locked in object gripping position.

When it is desired to release the jaws from such locked position it isnecessary only to move the handle 82 upwardly (see Fig. 3) therebythrough cam action permitting plunger 23 to be automatically forcedrearwardly. Thereupon jaw release may be eiected readily and easily bypressing downwardly on lever I7.

And there is no crack- While the invention has been illustrated anddescribed in great detail in the drawings and foregoing description, thesame is to be considered as illustrative :and not restrictive incharacter.

The invention claimed is:

In a wrench including a handle member having a xed jaw at one end, amovable jaw pivot- -ally connected to said handle member, an operatinghandle pivotally connected with the rearward portion of said movablejaw, the opposite end of said iirst mentioned handle having aninternally threaded sleeve portion, a stub lever pivotally connected atone end to said operating Y handle, the opposite end of said leverhaving a head portion, the combination therewith of a release attachmentcomprising an externally threaded bolt received within said sleeveportion, said bolt having a longitudinal bore formed within its shankand a transversely disposed bore formed within its head, said borescommunicating one with the other, a longitudinally recipro- .cableplunger disposed within said rst mentioned bore, the forward end of saidplunger eX- tending beyond said bolt into abutting engagement with thehead portion of said stub lever, and a rotary eccentric disposed withinsaid second mentioned bore engageable by the opposite end of saidplunger whereby the longitudinal position of said plunger may be variedby a change in the angular position of said eccentric, and means forvarying the angular position of said eccentric.

CHARLES EDWARD WALTER.

REFERENCES *CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,299,454 Borchers Oct. 20, 19422,341,489 Tornborg Feb. 8, 1944 2,443,153 Wells June 8, 1948 2,489,895Kash Nov. 29, 1949 2,500,261 Parker Mar. 14, 1950 2,514,130 Jones July4, 1950 2,519,973 Mead Aug. 22, 1950

